IGNYTEI will ignite the kingdom life within you,a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out -Matthew 3:11-

Today we discussed the lesson on Spiritual Relationships. For those who are missing in action, (actually why re you absent from Ignyte ah?) we did Lesson 7 of Discipleship 2 today. One more lesson to go and we finish Discipleship 2 for this year. This will be on the third week of November.

Well, today this statement spoke to me:

"When you come to KNOW God, you will LOVE Him. And when you come to Love Him, you will want to SERVE Him. If you don't want to serve God, maybe it is because you don't really Love Him. And If you don't Love God, maybe it is because you don't really Know Him."

The name "Pentecost" means the fiftieth day after Passover. It was a Jewish feast when people brought the "firstfruits" - the earliest part of the harvest - to the Temple.

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Acts 2: 1-13

The disciples were confused. Jesus had been crucified and they'd been in despair. Then he had risen from the dead and they'd been full of joy. They had spent forty days with Jesus, learning from him. Then he had ascended into heaven and they had been told to wait for the Holy Spirit. But what exactly were they waiting for? Would they recognize it when it came?

They noticed all right! Look again at verses 2-4. A rushing wind indoors! Tongues of fire, touching each person, but not burning them. And as if that wasn't enough, suddenly they found they could speak other languages which they hadn't learnt!

THANK

. . . God that the Holy Spirit still works today in exciting and dramatic ways. Thank God that the Holy Spirit also works in quiet ways in our lives, too.

Hi! It is great to be home. The cost of living is very high in Hong Kong. Eating out can be very expensive. But it is interesting to note that eating at McDonald's is much cheaper than eating at the food stalls. We are so blessed to be living in Malaysia, where food is good, cheap and yummy.

Now for some spiritual food. Hope you are learning something about the Holy Spirit.

What does the Holy Spirit do in my life?

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Galatians 5: 16-21

plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies and do other things like these. I warn you now . . .Draw a line under any of the words in this verse which you think describe the society we live in. People haven't changed much in 2000 years, have they?

PRAY

Think of someone you know or a situation you've seen on the TV which shows these things in action. Pray for that person or that situation.

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Galatians 5: 22-26

But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.Draw a line under any of the qualities in this list where the Holy Spirit has been helping you to improve. (For example, if he has been helping you to be more loving or more patient). Now put a circle around the qualities where you need help.

PRAY

. . . for the Holy Spirit to help you, especially with those things you've circled.

Redemption means "buying something back." Suppose your bike was stolen. A few weeks later you see it in a second hand shop. Unfortunately you can't prove it's yours. The only way you can get it back is to pay the price the shop is asking.

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Galatians 4: 4-7

In New Testament times, if you couldn't pay your debts you could be sold as a slave. The only way you could be freed was if a friend or a member of your family could find enough money to buy you back.

When Jesus died on the cross he was paying the price to redeem us from slavery. We were slave to wrongdoing because we couldn't live the holy lives that God wanted us to live. No friends or family could buy us back. The price was a perfect life freely given up for us.

But more than freeing us from slavery, God has adopted us as his children (that's what the word "sons" means in verse 7).

THANK

. . . God for sending Jesus to die for us and for sending the Holy Spirit to live in us.

The Holy Spirit only lives within Christians. That's one definition of Christians - people who have the Holy Spirit living in them (look at Romans 8:9). But the Holy Spirit also works in people's lives before they become Christians.

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John 15: 26-27

When we tell our friends about Jesus it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power and the courage. But it is also the Holy Spirit who works in our friend's lives to help them to understand the truth of what we are saying.

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John 16: 7-11

If we'd asked them, the disciples would probably have said that they would have liked Jesus to stay with them for ever. But Jesus says it's better for the Holy Spirit to come. why? Well, one reason is that Jesus could only be in one place at one time. Imagine if you had to go all the way to Israel to speak to Jesus! But the Holy Spirit is with all Christians everywhere.

THANK

. . . God for the Holy Spirit and especially the help he gives us in telling others about Jesus. Think of your friends who need to know Jesus. Write down the names of one or two of them and pray for them today that the Holy Spirit will help them to know the truth about Jesus.

Just before he died Jesus celebrated the Jewish festival of the Passover with his disciples. He turned it into a special way of remembering his death which we call Holy Communion. John in his gospel tells us some of the things Jesus taught his disciples on that night.

IMAGINE

. . . being in the room with Jesus that night. Jesus is very serious. He is talking about going away and you don't really understand where or why. How do you feel? Listen as he makes a special promise.

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John 14: 25-26

Why did the Holy Spirit come (v. 20)?

To be a EEHLPR ......................................... (feel in the blanks)

To ACEHT us ...................................

To help us to BEEEMMRR ..........................................

Still imagining you are in the room with Jesus, how do you feel about the promise that the Holy Spirit will come?

THANK

. . . God again for the Holy Spirit. Thank him especially for the way in which he helps us to understand the Bible.

This is the power of technology. Away from home and yet can still connect with you through the virtual world.

We continue our devotion on the Power to Change.

How do you know you are filled with the Holy Spirit?

IMAGINE

You are in a double-glazed room looking out of the window. How would you know the wind is blowing? Jesus used the wind as a way to explain to Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit.

READ

John 3: 7-12

From inside the room you can't see or hear the wind but you see its effects: trees bending, clothes blowing on the clothes line, and so on. That's the way we know that we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We see the effects of his work in our lives. Some of the things he does are:

he helps us to read the Bible

he helps us to pray

he helps us to tell our friends about Jesus.

Can you add some more to the list? (We'll see some of them as we go through this series)

The Holy Spirit doesn't make us instantly perfect. Some of us are very slow learners! But he's still at work in us.

By going to church? By being good? By being born in a Christian family? By being christened?

It's not surprising that people don't know the answer to that question. One of the important religious teachers of Jesus' time didn't know the answer.

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John 3: 1-6

Becoming a Christian is something God does through the Holy Spirit. It's like starting life all over again. But God doesn't just pounce on us and make us Christians whether we want to or not. We have to play our part. We must . . .

In a survey of what people were most afraid of, the biggest fear was of spiders!

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Luke 12: 1-7

This reading tells us we should fear God - but that doesn't mean we should be scared of him. God has power over life and death (v. 5), so his power over us goes on after we die, unlike ordinary people's, which only lasts for life (v.4). Someone so powerful deserves our respect and honour - that's what fearing God is all about.

However, remember that at the same time God loves you enormously - he even knows how many hairs are on your head (v.7)!

PRAY

Ask God to help you remember how powerful he is - and thank him that he loves you.

It can sometimes seem that believing in Jesus is a very hard thing to do. But if we really want to, then Jesus will show us who he is and what he wants to do in our lives. Anybody can know Jesus - he wants us to know him and won't hide himself away. And when you do know him, and see his power at work, it's wonderful - lots better than being able to juggle!

If you've discovered who Jesus is and about how he wants to be part of your life, then that's more important than anything else you'll ever learn.

PRAY

Ask Jesus to help you find out more about how he wants to be part of your life.

The people in Chorazin and Bethsaida had seen Jesus do lots of miracles, but they didn't stop doing wrong things or turn to Him. Instead, they rejected him.

Jesus said the consequences of rejecting Him would be severe (v. 13). It's just as severe for people who reject Jesus today, too. That's another reason why we need to show people how Jesus loves them - so they will turn to Him.

We have heard phrases like, "She's got her mother's eyes," "He looks like his father," said about us before. We are all like our parents in some ways - it's called "family resemblance."

People who follow Jesus should resemble him in the way we care about others and in the values we hold, so that those who meet and get to know us can get to know Jesus in us, too.

The question that we need to ask ourselves today is this: How can we carry this message of love unless we are truly willing to love people?

Hi all! It was nice to meet you all during the holidays. First of all, I want to wish the youths all the best in your exams. No matter what exams is it, PMR, SPM, STPM or even final examination, remember that God will always be with you. Remember to pray and also study. Have no fear during the examinations. I know all of you can do it.

Here's another song to help encourage you all. It's called Praise You In The Storm and it's also from Casting Crowns. Hopefully it will you all. Those who are feeling down, sick, heart broken or think that God is so far away from you, just remember that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Everything that happens, He is always by your side. So always praise Him no matter what, not only during the happy times but also in the hard times.

Praise You In The Storm

I was sure by now

God you would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say “Amen”,

and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

“I’m with you”

And as You mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

I’ll praise You in this storm

And I will life my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

Every tear I’ve cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry

You raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can’t find You

As the thunder rollsI barely hear Your whisper through the rain“I’m with you”And as You mercy fallsI raise my hands and praise the God who givesAnd takes away

I’ll praise You in this stormAnd I will life my handsFor You are who You areNo matter where I amEvery tear I’ve criedYou hold in Your handYou never left my sideAnd though my heart is tornI will praise You in this storm

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. Psalm 130:5

It may seem to be an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures that a Christian soldier does not learn without years of molding and discipline. Marching is much easier for God’s warriors than standing still. So often, instead of standing firm on God’s Word, we retreat in fear, turning to the right in rebellion or rushing forward in presumption. God’s end-time army must have the ability and tenacity to wait in prayer, to stand firm on His promises and hope in His deliverance!

Hold on to your unwavering confidence in God. Believe that if He keeps you tarrying even until midnight, He will come at the right time. “Though the vision tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3). Wait in quiet patience, and don’t complain when you are under affl iction. Instead, adopt the right attitude by blessing the Lord at all times. Never murmur as the children of Israel did against Moses. Never wish you could go back to the world again, but accept the situation and commit yourself into the hands of a faithful God. Say, “Lord, not my will but Yours be done. I do not know what to do. I will wait, even if You keep me waiting for many days, because my heart is fixed on You alone, O God. My spirit waits for You in the full consolation that You will be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower.”

We mentioned before that the disciples were living by faith. But what does it mean?

In one way, we all do it! We have faith that what we sit on will hold us up, that the bus we get on will take us to the right place, and so on.

More importantly, faith is about believing in Jesus. If we are his followers then we have faith in him - we trust him.

But it can also describe people who believe God has a special job for them to do, perhaps like a missionary or a church minister, but who aren't paid in the normal way. They have faith that God will give them the money they need through other Christians.

It can be hard to live like that - and exciting too! My church sends money regularly to a couple who are missionaries abroad. Sometimes it's a lot - sometimes it's not! But God always provides what they need.

Whatever we trust God for - big things or small - we can be sure he will NEVER let us down.

Jesus describes all the people who haven't heard about him as a harvest waiting to be gathered in - and he sends out disciples to begin to do it.

How much was there to do (v.2)?

Would it be easy (v.3)? YES/ NO

What couldn't the disciples take (v.4)?

How would they be looked after (vv. 7,8)?

THINK

It looks like what it was - a whole lot of hard work! And they were doing something called "living by faith" - relying on God to provide what they needed through other people. That takes courage, too - it can be a risky business!

Sometimes being a disciple is hard work - and being a "lamb among wolves" is a bit off-putting, to say the least! I used to feel like that when some girls in my class made fun of me for going to church. But when we begin to see results (v. 8,9) it makes the hard work worth doing.

Write down three people and three things you'd miss if you went to live in another country.

1.23

1.2.3.

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Luke 9:57-62

The people in this story hadn't thought about what it would mean to follow Jesus. The first had forgotten what Jesus' life was like (v. 58) and the second two were concerned more about family matters (v. 59, 61).

It's easy for things to get in the way of following Jesus.

How important are these things to you? Circle the number that best sums up how you feel.

Jesus isn't saying that the people we love and the things we enjoy doing aren't important at all, but that he is the most important. He has to come first and, when he does, everything else will have the right amount of importance.